Insert Picture Here
by Ruby Garnet
Summary: Wanting freedom can be a painful process. When you get it, what do you do with it? If suddenly you could fly, where would you fly to? The writer of Lorelai's story has a lot to think about, don't they?
1. Part 1

Insert Picture Here (Part 1)

By Ruby Garnet

**Summary:** The story of Lorelai Gilmore as told by someone other than herself.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing in this story other than the privilege of being able to write about a wonderful character

**A/N:** First prose-type story I've ever written. Hope you have fun with it and enjoy reading about my view of Lorelai's character as much as I enjoyed writing it.

_A picture is defined as a visual representation or image -- painted, drawn, photographed, or otherwise rendered on a flat surface. Everyone wanted pictures of the vivacious woman that had painted the town of __Stars Hollow__ with color so many years before: Lorelai Gilmore. Understandably, nobody ever found a picture worth printing, handing out, or even posting on the Internet. The explanation was simple: a picture couldn't match the impassioned revere that she had obtained while alive. Years later, articles have been published, stories have been written, and TV shows have been created. But every time someone wanted to place a picture next to a dedication, they just left the area blank and scribbled in the words: Insert picture here. _

---

Lorelai Gilmore's childhood years had been airbrushed with powder-white taffeta dresses, intricately constructed dollhouses with plush families that eerily resembled her own, and ostentatious silver watches with rhinestone studded bands. She held within her memories, pristine marble floors that shoes were never to be worn on and tables that were so fragile, they supposedly could not support the weight of a single crystal glass. She remembered reading _A Little Princess _and wondering if one day she would end up like that…if one day she would end up destitute and have to fend for herself in the 'big and scary' world that her parents Richard and Emily had always warned her about; the world constituting of drunks, smokers, and street hagglers that begged for the pennies from the wealthy. Along with sparkles, scents of sweet pea, and foamy bath bubbles, the young Lorelai yearned for something that she feared would never be granted.

---

She wanted to be a dove that could fly away from this sugarplum and fairyland … but if she were a dove, where would she fly?

---

As she grew older, the unknown and the dangerous captivated Lorelai and she could not decide which was more exhilarating than the other. Not knowing any other, she attended the local private institution. The name of the academy was so incongruous that nobody bothered to remember it, including Lorelai. To her, it was just a school … a place that haunted her caged existence and served as a reminder of the monotonous routine she called life.

---

She slowly released herself from the shackles as her high school life progressed. She was introduced to a former stranger known as alcohol and they became quite close friends. Wine that had previously been bitter to her tastes evolved into an elixir that danced upon the fibers of her tongue as she drank. After countless years of hearing "Dahling, I'll have a sweet martini" and "Dry martinis around?" Lorelai finally found out what a 'martini' actually was and took full advantage of her knowledge by sneaking one or two here and there when her parents weren't to be found. Her hair, which had always been kept in a straight and low ponytail, was released and she painstakingly began to curl the dark locks into rebellious spirals. She mindlessly tossed the pink lemonade and strawberry Bonnie Bell lip smackers underneath her bed and replaced them with dark shades of women's lipstick like 'Raunchy Ruby' and 'Sinful Scarlet'.

---

Once in a while, she'd glance at the floor-length mirror in her room, but she'd quickly turn away; not wanting to see how she had changed … or have to admit that she ever changed at all.

---

As a girl, Lorelai had never taken a liking to boys. The only ones she'd ever met were sons of her mother's yuppie friends that wore miniature suits identical to the ones their fathers wore. She envisioned them as future well-to-do businessmen that had no time for frivolous activities such as kissing girls and having parties. After observing the disgustingly pretty and even sometimes slutty girls lip-locking with boys in the hallway, boys became 'guys' and guys became Lorelai's objects of attention. One in particular, Christopher Hayden, struck Lorelai's fancy and she soon found herself quite enamored with the fantasies she conjured up in her head … all, of course, involving him. She didn't know, but he relished the same kind of thoughts as his own guilty pleasure.

---

After careful consideration, the both of them finally became a 'couple'. The both of them finally became Lorelai and Christopher, which was quickly shortened to Lor and Chris, courtesy of the couple themselves. One thing led to another and in due time, the two college-bound teenagers found themselves in a world that only they could enjoy and loathe being in all at the same time. A plan to go to college dissolved into the plotting of a cross-European odyssey.

---

Lorelai was so caught up in the future path of her hurricane that she didn't even notice the destruction she had already caused. One thing led to another, and soon both of them found themselves on a path they'd never expected to come across, much less walk on. Lorelai was sixteen. And pregnant. She vividly remembered the shouting, shrieking, sobbing, and every emotional 's' word that haunted Christopher's house, as well as her own. The disappointment and anger added lines of aging to Emily and Richard's faces and hardened into painful scars.

---

If Lorelai were alive, she'd tell you about her electronic problems. She'd then be reminded of that night when she was six months pregnant and was watching a recording of her favorite TV program. The VCR went crazy and it automatically fast-forwarded no matter what button she pressed on the remote. She went up to the VCR to manually do something about it, but the moment her eyes caught the blurry screen in front of her, it became impossible to see through her tears. She wanted to rewind the tape so badly, but it reminded her of her life – something going fast forward at full speed with no turning back.


	2. Part 2

**Insert Picture Here (Part 2)**

**A/N:** Thanks for all the support everyone. It means the world to me.

---

Not long after, Lorelai gave birth to her first and only daughter, Lorelai "Rory" Leigh Gilmore. Christopher was the father by genetic coding and birth certificate, but hardly by action. Christopher's dreams for the future were full of green bills, posh sports cars, and wild adventures. Diapers, terrycloth ducks, plastic singing mobiles, and pureed baby food weren't on the agenda, and he didn't plan to pencil them in. He had space for elder Lorelai, but not the newborn. With an ounce of remorse, he abandoned them both.  

---

When he left, the last words he spoke to Lorelai were, "I love you." For a fleeting moment she wanted to return the statement, kiss him until the world made sense, and get married like everyone wanted and expected them to. Instead, she remained silent, for she knew that in Chris's mind, love was about picking up the pieces. If he really knew what it was, then nothing would have been broken in the first place. So, like a piece of light dandelion fluff in a summer wind, he was gone.

---

The golden pendulum of the grandfather clock stopped its metronome and time stood still. Caterpillars refused to become butterflies, petals no longer detached themselves from their flowers, tadpoles didn't become frogs, and Lorelai was no longer the little girl in her memories. Lorelai knew that raising Rory would prove to be a strenuous task, but she wasn't prepared for what was yet to come. Everything about Lorelai screamed physical exertion and emotional exhaustion. Her disheveled clothing was stained with bodily fluids and patches of crusty milk stains were scattered on her sleeves. The circles under her eyes resembled painful bruises while her hair was tangled and haphazardly thrown into a ponytail. The balcony outside her room held painful memories for Lorelai, memories of things she didn't want to remember and definitely did not want to repeat.

---

Occasionally, she would walk onto the cold concrete and stare at the senior girls taunting her with their flashy red convertibles, Bangles music, and trendy clothing. Lorelai wanted to catapult rocks at them because she was jealous of their normalcy. It frustrated her to no end, but Rory's wailing cries from the adjacent room reminded Lorelai that she shouldn't waste time wanting what she could never have.

---

Living with Richard and Emily Gilmore was a fairytale enigma gone completely haywire. As much as she tried, Lorelai couldn't convince her parents that she was only one person with two hands. She was berated for failing to put up Rory's stroller, leaving toys strewn around the usually immaculate sitting area, and spilling liquefied strawberry cheesecake. Lorelai would kneel over to wipe up a spill and Emily would come running with a vacuum cleaner accompanied by a lecture on how irresponsible or hard-headed she was. Her father talked nothing but finances and considering that Lorelai had none to deal with, he didn't approve of her lifestyle. Stock quotes and words of 'Nasdaq' and 'Dow' meant nothing to her and that disappointed Richard to an extreme. Lorelai resented the fact that her parents never even gave the _impression_ that they might care for her and Rory over the economy and the cleanliness of the house. Altercations would ensue over dinner as Rory shrieked from upstairs. The night-light was turned off and it was Lorelai's fault. Why wasn't she responsible enough to remember to turn it on? Lorelai would argue that it wasn't due to the night-light, but Emily refused to remove her blinders.

---

Tears of frustration would line the cheekbones of her face as Lorelai stormed upstairs in a rage far from blind. Her anger would melt away when she met Rory's blue eyes that were identical to her own. She apologized to whoever happened to be listening for her fury and rocked Rory gently in her arms until she slept soundly. After laying her back into her crib, Lorelai would head over to her own room, stomach rumbling from the lack of dinner. She sat on her bed with her legs straight, hugged a pillow, and buried her head in it until she had to come up for air. She would cry if it weren't for the fact that the pain she felt choked her tear ducts along with her throat. Lightning crackled outside and it illuminated the foreground of the scene outside her window. A tree branch was struck down and created an earsplitting sound that reverberated through her head. The rain battered against her window and Lorelai realized that she needed to leave. So she did.

---

A few nights later, Lorelai could be found in her room with one lamp on. She resembled a criminal being questioned underneath an interrogation lamp except for the fact that she was writing a letter. She was writing a letter to her own parents that lived within her very house. The letter contained words tainted with years of unresolved conflict and bitter resentment. She didn't think they made much sense, but they got her point across. When she finished, she wrapped Rory in a few fleece blankets and placed her in a basket serving as a makeshift cradle. She carried her downstairs along with an overly stuffed backpack while her mother and father got ready for an evening party. When she had transferred all of her possessions outside, Lorelai ran back upstairs to her room one last time. She surveyed the room and blinked. Sixteen years had been wasted away by internal conflict and it had all happened in this room. It was downright depressing. In one last act of rebellion, she tore a paper heart from her wall and ripped it into shreds. She watched as the pieces of construction paper spiraled to the floor, creating what looked like a puddle of blood. She flipped the light switch off and tiptoed downstairs. She could hear her Emily and Richard arguing over the party as she tossed the letter onto the table.

She didn't know if she should feel guilty or not, but regardless, she opened the door and finally flew away like she had wanted to all these years.


	3. Part 3

**Insert Picture Here (Part 3)**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing in this story other than the privilege of being able to write about a wonderful character. Oh, that and a character here and there.

**A/N:** Wow that was quick, wasn't it? I'm warning you now that most of this chapter is completely fictional. The show doesn't go into much detail about this point in her life, so this is all a figment of my imagination. Anyways, once again, thanks to everyone who reviews. You all rock. There's an indirect shout-out in this chapter, so the person that knows who they are, you're awesome.

---

Lorelai stood next to the abandoned road and kicked a gravel pebble. She watched to see where it went, but it was just a shot in the dark. Like everything else. How cliché…she was standing on the side of a dark road with no company except for the occasional passing headlight. She had a backpack stuffed with oyster crackers, baby formula that nobody would drink willingly, and a few faded shirts. After realizing that nobody was going to pick her up, she set Rory on a patch of grass and stretched out on her back with her head to the stars.

---

She was pondering the formation of four stars when she was interrupted by a loud car horn. She bolted upright and grabbed Rory. She used her other hand to shield her eyes from the blinding white headlight. A middle-aged woman's head emerged from the driver's window.

"Hey. What are you doing on the side of the road?" The woman questioned.

"Trying to get a ride. What does it look like I'm doing?"

"There's no need to get smart young lady; I'm just trying to help you." She quietly responded.

"How would you help me?"

"Well, I could take you somewhere. Any idea of where you want to go?"

Lorelai shifted Rory in her arms. "No. Just somewhere."

"I own an inn in a small town called Stars Hollow. I could take you there if you like."

"Swell." Lorelai replied half-heartedly.

"You could at least try to sound enthusiastic. It's a whole hell of a lot better than where you are now." The woman gestured to the wooded area.

"I know. I'm sorry … it's just been a rough week." Lorelai tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear and stared at the moonlit pavement.

"Honey, it looks like you've had a rough eternity. Get your child and your things and hop in." The woman smiled tenderly.

This was the first time Lorelai had come in contact with a woman who wasn't concerned with her appearance or how much money she had and she gratefully accepted her invitation.

---

Lorelai rubbed her thumb up and down the beige leather of the car. She didn't know what to say to this strange woman. She didn't even know her. Rory was sound asleep and it was apparent that she didn't want to talk either.

"So, what's your name?" The woman's voice startled Lorelai out of her trance.

"Lorelai."

"Lorelai. That's pretty. Do you have a last name?"

"Not that I'd share." Lorelai flatly answered.

"Okay. Well, you can call me Mia. Like I said, I own an inn." Mia reached up to adjust her rearview mirror and could see a sullen Lorelai fiddling with a thread on her shirt. "It's called the Independence Inn. When I was a little girl, I never liked to be confined, so I knew it would be the perfect name."

"Fascinating." Lorelai wasn't ready to let her guard down yet. She never gave up without a fight and now was not about to become an exception.

Lorelai became wide-eyed when she noticed that Mia was pulling over the car. There was a slight 'ping' as she pulled out the car key. Mia unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to face Lorelai with glazed eyes.

"All I want to do is help. That's all. I'm not going to ask you why you were on the side of the road. I'm not going to ask you why you're apparently a teenager and have a baby with you. I'm not going to ask you where you lived or who your parents were. I just want to help you find your place again."

Lorelai was silent.

Mia sighed with utter disappointment as she redid her seatbelt. She started the car once more and continued the seemingly infinite drive to Stars Hollow.

"My name is Lorelai Gilmore." Lorelai absentmindedly tossed into the thickened air.

Mia smiled to herself. "It's nice to meet you, Lorelai Gilmore."

---

The following few years of Lorelai's life were none less difficult than the ones that had preceded it. Mia had generously offered her a position as a maid at the inn and being the unemployed person she had always been, Lorelai was quick to accept. Undeniably, the other maids in the department couldn't stand the sight of Lorelai. To them, it was insulting that a sixteen year old be given the same job, even though being a maid was nothing much to be proud of. Lorelai would exit a room, covered in soot, and immediately be met with leers and whispers of gossip. She would ask to use a feather duster and it would be thrown at her feet as if she were a peasant. The rebellious Lorelai bubbled within her and threatened to explode in sarcastic remarks and obscene phrases, but she knew that this job was one of the few things in her life that kept her alive and she couldn't afford to let go of that.

---

Lorelai never knew what friends were. To her, friends were just people that you could talk to in the hallways. To her, friends were the people you borrowed lipstick and nail polish from. To her, friends were the people who constantly stabbed you in the back and then pretended like they never did so. She had become good friends with Mia because of their experience together, but she could never talk to her because she was always busy arranging rooms for customers and ordering new things for the inn, like towels and business cards.

One day, Lorelai was quite frantic because a large company was to be arriving at the inn shortly. She folded white sheet after white sheet and placed more than one hundred delicately wrapped pillow mints on top of silver pillowcases. She cursed several times as she bent over to pick up fruit that had spilled from a fruit basket. She wouldn't have time to fix two other rooms and get replacement fruit. The situation seemed impossible.

"Let me help you with that. I have some extra fruit in my cart." A young woman not much older than Lorelai was hovering with an orange in one hand and an apple in the other.

An exasperated Lorelai looked up. The woman's nametag read: Alison. "Oh, thanks Alison. I can be so clumsy sometimes."

A smile tugged the edges of Alison's mouth. "Not a problem Lorelai. I've seen you around…I don't think we've met though."

"No, I haven't talked to you." Lorelai smiled gratefully. "Let's hurry with this fruit so we both can finish our rooms."

Both women bent over and began rearranging the infamous fruit basket. Alison stacked oranges, bananas, grapes, and apples while Lorelai cut and weaved silver ribbon through the grid of the basket.

Dusting off their knees, they rose at the same time. Alison gestured to the next hallway over. "Okay, well I've got to be going. I've got 42 and 44 left to do. If you ever need anything, I'm the housekeeping manager so feel free to let me know."

"I will. Thanks Alison."

So their friendship began. They spoke to each other in the hallway, they shared lipstick and nail polish, but they didn't stab each other in the back.

Alison served as Lorelai's mentor -- quietly correcting her fireplace arrangements and meticulously teaching her how to fold napkins for high profile room service trays. Lorelai taught Alison how to have fun – twisting her arm into attending parties and enlightening her by showing her how to steal promotional pens and drinks from the executive luncheons.

---

Every five years or so, Mia went on a promotion extravaganza. Cooks became chefs, receptionists became managers of some department, and gardeners became landscape designers. It was a tense time…employees' faces tightened with smiles dressed to impress and some of the maids purposely folded towels in Mia's line of sight. Everyone hoped to make that list of promoted employees. Except for Lorelai. She was happy with where she was…she didn't need a promotion.

She continued with her routine; separating shampoos from conditioners and lotions from face creams. She went back into the hallway and was greeted by a beaming Alison. Lorelai opened her mouth to ask what the joyous occasion was, but before she could, Alison breezed by, shoving something into Lorelai's hand and yelling that she needed to finish something in another room. Lorelai furrowed her brow and opened the taped envelope.

The paper read:

_Congratulations Lorelai. You've been promoted to housekeeping manager. Don't argue because you deserve it. You're one of the best. Love, Mia. _

As if the announcement wasn't shocking enough, there was a navy blue and silver pen taped to the bottom with a small note attached to it. A closer inspection revealed Alison's detailed script.

_"You're going to need this." _


	4. Part 4

**Insert Picture Here (Part 4)**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing in this story other than the privilege of being able to write about a wonderful character. Oh, that and a character here and there.

**A/N:** Sorry for the long hiatus... words just haven't been flowing together lately. For those of you who have been wondering where Rory's been… here she is. Oh, and I realize I've left a lot of loose ends open… I'm sorry! Thanks to everyone who supports this story and me. You all are really angels. Angels, I tell you. _Credit for excerpted script goes to: gilmoregirls.net _

----

"What's the girl's name again?"

"I think it's Corey. It might be Lori. I'm not sure. Rory?" A dark complexioned woman shrugged.

"Oh, okay, I was just wondering. How do you suppose they've lived there all of these years?"

In a drawing room of the Independence Inn, two waitresses were tucking napkins into swan shapes and observing the activity at the lakeside. A teenage girl was plodding across the grass with several textbooks and colored folders resting in her left arm. She approached the threshold of what seemed to be an ivy-covered tool shed and disappeared inside.

"Who knows? I certainly don't…"

----

Lorelai pushed on the door lightly, but it still managed to emit a cringing noise similar to a screech owl. She winced and reminded herself to bring some WD-40 from the Inn's cleaning closet back here some time.

"Mom?"

"Yeah? I'm coming! Walking towards your room. Walking past the bathroom. Now I'm at your door, now I'm opening your door –"

"Now I'm walking into your room." Rory and Lorelai spoke simultaneously.

Lorelai gasped. "You're psychic! Quick, what other powers are you hiding?"

Resisting the urge to laugh, a fifteen-year-old Rory replied, "Um, the power to eat toast without dropping a thousand crumbs onto the table, into my lap, and down the front of my shirt." She gently closed the book she had been studying and turned to her mother.

"I wish you would share that power, young sorceress." Lorelai flounced onto the two mattresses that formed the basis of Rory's bed. "They need to make a toaster that makes soft toast."

"Well, then it wouldn't be toast, now would it?" Rory slid over and hugged her knees while leaning against the wall.

"I guess not. So, what are you up to? I don't have much time to chat because I've got a meeting with Mia in a few minutes, but I did want to stop by."

"That's cool." Rory held out a red textbook entitled: _The History of Connecticut_. "This is what I've been studying. I have a History test tomorrow over chapters twenty-two through twenty-six."

Groaning as she lifted the book, Lorelai questioned, "How can you carry twenty books around with you when you've got to carry this _one_?" She opened the book to where a piece of notebook paper was slipped in.

"_Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet establishes a school for the deaf in __West Hartford__ on __April 15, 1817__._ How…um, interesting? It'll be nice and convenient for your grandparents later on…"

"Mom, I haven't even _met _my grandparents, so I'm going to ignore that comment and say this: It _is _interesting. Even though we live here, there are so many things that I never knew and am in the process of learning. The history of Connecticut is what makes it…the state that it is." An enlightened Rory beamed.

"You should be chosen to represent Connecticut in the Senate when the time comes." A bored Lorelai continued to flip through the pages.

Rory rolled her eyes and then pointed to the book. "Well, look at this: _In 1877, the first telephone exchange in the world is opened in __New Haven__, __Connecticut__._"

"Oh, so that's why there are so many chatty people there!" Lorelai tilted her head, crossed her eyes, and made a clucking noise with her tongue.

"Grow up!" Rory laughed and gave her mother a definitive whack on the shoulder. "It's a wonder why you even took me to those museums in Hartford."

"Honey, don't you understand that I'm always trying to introduce new things to you to further enrich your educational learning process?"

"You know, Mrs. Gauntt tells me that you shouldn't use too many words to represent a simple idea."

"Well, Mrs. Gauntt is a fuddy-duddy." Lorelai tossed a moon-shaped throw pillow at Rory.

"There goes your conduct grade." Rory caught the pillow and grinned over the top of it.

"Once a rebel, always a rebel." A feeling of contentment encircled the room as a mother placed her arms around her only daughter. Her only source of comfort.

----

With only sixteen years between the two of them, Lorelai often considered Rory to be more of a best friend than a daughter. Apparently, so did everyone else.

Sometimes she would collapse onto a beanbag and sit there for hours: just pondering and attempting to analyze the unusually wonderful relationship between the two of them. Like most things that Lorelai dealt with on a regular basis, she ceased to arrive at a sturdy conclusion. Speculation has it that perhaps the wonder in it all may have been formed by the difficult road that had been taken to arrive… _here_. The road 'less traveled by'.

One particularly agonizing experience for Lorelai was taking Rory to her first day of kindergarten. Lorelai walked hand in hand with Rory down the long hallway in the elementary school as her tiny finger pointed to cotton-stuffed fabric apples and hanging planet mobiles. Rory's eyes lit up with excitement and Lorelai became light-headed with the fume of sharpies furiously scribbling nametag after nametag. When they entered the room, they were surrounded by dozens of other mothers and their children. Lorelai approached the sign-in table and was received less than warmly.

_"Excuse me, ma'am, we only allow parents to sign their children in." _

_Lorelai looked around her and then back down at the woman speaking. _

_"Are you talking to me?" _

_"Yes. The little girl's mother and/or father needs to sign her in." _

_Confused, Lorelai hesitated. "I…I'm her mother." _

_The woman's eyebrows skyrocketed. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" _

_At barely a whisper, she replied, "I just turned twenty one." _

_"Oh." The receiver turned up her nose and reluctantly handed Lorelai the clipboard bearing names of other parents before her. A majority of the blanks left for parents were filled with two names: the mother and the father. "Chris should be here." She thought. Hurriedly, Lorelai filled in her and Rory's name and placed the clipboard back onto the table. _

_"Right, well, thank you. Please remember that pick-up time is at __2:00__. You do have a car, right?" A bit of mordant venom spat from the woman's mouth. _

_Blinking back tears, Lorelai answered shortly, "Yes. I have a car. I will be back here at __2:00__." _

_She turned away and took Rory to an isolated corner of the hallway. She got down on her knees to look into her daughter's eyes. _

_"Rory?"_

_"Yes Mommy?" _

_"Rory, do mommy a favor today, okay?__ I want you to have a good time…make some friends…learn your math and science…and don't let people make you unhappy, got it?" Lorelai's lip began to tremble. _

_Rory nodded and her pigtails bobbed. "Okay Mommy. I'll do that." She smiled and threw her arms out in front of her. "I love you." _

_Lorelai wrapped her arms around Rory, backpack and all. Burying her own head into Rory's mouse brown hair, she said, "I love you too." _

_Lorelai then proceeded to lead Rory to her room and they waved goodbye. She could accept the fact that Rory was going to be away from her for a while. She would come back and get her in less than five hours anyway. She could accept the fact that Chris wasn't here to wave Rory off on her first day of school. He was never around anyway. What she couldn't accept was the fact that as she walked out of the school, other parents sneered and jumped aside away from her in the hallway. Lorelai looked down at her faded jeans and hot pink Bangles t-shirt and compared them to the suits and skirts of the other parents with a frown. _

Lorelai could only hope that her daughter would be accepted into the world that she had only dreamed of belonging in.

Time passed, as it always does, and the bitterness towards ignorant people gradually melted away and Lorelai realized what maturing and growing up was all about. Her only goal left now was to teach Rory the same, even though, ironically, Rory was the one who had taught her in the first place.

Elementary school went by quickly with straight A's gracing every report card and teacher conference card. At her fifth grade graduation, Lorelai felt proud to be the only mother there whose child received not one, not two, but three awards. She reminded herself that it was elementary school and she wasn't receiving scholarships, but it made her happy nonetheless.

Instead of the typical boys and makeup, during middle school, Rory Gilmore began to immerse herself into the world of books. Stories of wounded soldiers, heroic martyrs, frivolous teenagers, and utopian worlds filled the shelves of her room. Her desk was covered in newspapers and club bulletins. Lorelai helped her put up maps of foreign countries and stunning prints of far off places like Botswana and the Mediterranean.

Her middle school graduation was more of a graduation for Lorelai than Rory. At last, she could feel the other parents' eyes struggling to figure out who she was. Memories of Lorelai in cut-off jeans and t-shirts vanished from their minds and were replaced with memories of a great mother who sacrificed everything for her daughter. A couple parents actually smiled and waved at single Lorelai, and she couldn't resist but to return the gesture. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she fished a small silver camera out of her purse. Rory shook hands with the principal and a flash illuminated the room.

High school triggered change. Rory transferred from the local high school to an elite preparatory school by the name Chilton Academy. Rory melted into the exemplary mold quite well and breezed through her courses. She became an avid member of the student council and was highly respected by her students for her work on the _Franklin_, the Chilton newspaper.

Her love of literature continued, but soon found herself sharing that love with other figures…that weren't fictional. Lorelai grew quite fond of Rory's first boyfriend, Dean Forester. She remembers him as being the tall, protective, and romantic boy who used to change out the water bottle when need be. He attended a few of Rory's infamous dances, built her a car, and constantly reminded her that he wasn't a bookworm like she was. Rory decided that he would get the honor of being the first boy that she had ever loved. Unfortunately, after two and a half years, the relationship disintegrated, but a friendship remained intact.

Rory's study habits continued to be excellent and as long as her brain was focused on the square root principle and the law of cosines, her eyes and heart were free to focus on a new person in town: Jess Mariano, Luke Danes' nephew. Both shared the same feelings toward each other and eventually, they ended up together. Their personalities were almost complete opposites, but each complimented the other like a fine chardonnay to a filet mignon. Many a conversation spurred from their common interests and Rory swore she could've loved him too. Lorelai never started out on the right foot with Jess, and she never really found a placid medium for them to stand on, but she grew to know him as a person and placed her judgmental thoughts aside. She also never knew the complete story of how the relationship ended, but it had been on good terms and she knew that Rory would be missing some things for a while, if not a little bit of everything.

Graduation quickly dawned upon the Gilmore house, as did the acceptance letters from a majority of the Ivy League colleges. Rory came to the ultimate decision and chose to attend Yale University in the fall of 2003. Not to anyone's surprise, she was named valedictorian and stunned the crowd with her moving speech. She spoke of journeys through delicate plots and twisted settings, as well as novel titles that had inspired her throughout her high school years.

Best of all though, the graduate dedicated a small portion of her speech to her mother, to the person who had taken care of Rory when it was already hard enough to take care of herself. Lorelai wasn't sure if she deserved the words that the entire Chilton academy faculty, students, and supporters could hear.

_"My mother never gave me any idea that I couldn't do whatever I wanted to do or be whomever I wanted to be. She filled our house with love and fun and books and music, unflagging in her efforts to give me role models from Jane Austen to Eudora Welty to Patti Smith. As she guided me through these incredible eighteen years, I don't know if she ever realized that the person I most wanted to be was her."_

Through her tears, Lorelai felt triumphant. Christmas had always been fantastic when she had received gifts of angora sweaters, trendy perfumes, and feminist biographies. On this very day, Lorelai began to understand that the things you _don't_ ask for are sometimes the things that you desire the most, and when received, are truly appreciated.

_"Thank you, Mom. You are my guidepost for everything."_

Lorelai telepathically spoke to her daughter, "_So are you, Rory Gilmore, so are you._"


	5. Part 5

**Insert Picture Here (Part 5)**

**A/N:** I had a huge author note here, but I decided to send it on the next train to hell and let you all use your imagination with this story. I trust you. Anyway, thank you to all of the people that have supported this story thus far (I love my reviewers so much!): **Holly Gilmore, Lilianna28, coffeeobsessed, bluedancer, starblaze, Mandy, Dot, ILoveJess, Coolio02, Monique, Tali, Heidi, Ashley, Alexis Leigh Mariano,  Lisa T, Noa Jeo, crazy-dreams, sidney, and bibleboymary4ever**.

_Special thanks to Elise (Angeleyez) who keeps me awake, writing, and healthy. She also reviews. Thanks. _

----

"Ah, Lorelai, there you are." Mia dropped her pen and walked over to the door where Lorelai was desperately trying to remove grass from the bottom of her shoe.

"Oh, hey Mia. Sorry I'm late; I stopped to talk to Rory for a bit." Lorelai apologetically looked up from the clods of dirt collecting in the entrance.

"Don't worry about it. Will you follow me to my office?"

"Of course."

Lorelai trailed Mia feeling slightly awkward. The cause of this meeting remained unknown and Lorelai was superior in height, despite being younger.

Upon entering the large office, Mia gestured to a mahogany armchair.

"Feel free to take a seat. Would you like something to drink? Coffee?" Mia had already turned her body toward the loudly percolating machine.

Settling into the chair, Lorelai replied, "Sure, that would be great." Mia nodded and proceeded to pour the black liquid into a navy blue mug.

After visiting so many times, the office became a source of consistent comfort. Lorelai could always count on the lingering smell of antique roses muddled with the essence of brewing coffee. Vanilla-scented smoke ringlets floated around, even though her boss swore she never used candles.

"I'm out of cream, but would you care for some sugar?"

"That'd be nice."

"How many?"

"Three."

"Three?"

"Three please."

Mia raised her eyebrows, but said nothing. She poured in the packets of sugar and handed the steaming mug to Lorelai before sitting in her own chair across the desk.

"Thank you."

"So, how have you been? How is Rory?" Mia reached up, retrieved a pencil from her hair, and began to aimlessly doodle on a post-it cube.

"Rory's great; she's been busy with schoolwork. Studying hard. Um, she's having fun though. Me? Well, I'm…" Lorelai chuckled slightly. "I'm good. I've been looking into buying a house and I'm waiting for realtor responses.

"That's great!" Mia's voice bubbled with enthusiasm. "I'll miss the questions about people living in my tool shed, though."

Lorelai solemnly nodded, though her eyes twinkled with sarcasm. "It will be a day of mourning for sure."

After a few moments of relaxed silence, Lorelai could see that Mia was looking at her in an odd way. Her eyes had clouded and taken on a melancholy personality. Her head was tilted, but only slightly, and her lips were pursed in a curious manner, but …only slightly.

"So … Mia? This meeting?" Lorelai shifted uncomfortably.

Snapping out of her stupor, Mia began to twirl the pencil in her hand while speaking.

"Oh, of course. The meeting. I brought you here because I needed to tell you something important. What is said here today…well, it very well may change your life as well as mine."

"That's always a good way to start a conversation." Lorelai twirled her hair nervously.

Ignoring Lorelai's comment, Mia took in a deep breath. "I'm moving to Santa Barbara." She then released the breath as a dragon would release tongues of fire.

Lorelai's hands collapsed into her lap with a loud thump and her face tightened with concern. "What? H-how? More importantly, why?"

Mia sighed like she had been carrying this news for quite some time. "It's complicated. It'll be time for me to retire soon, you know. Despite what people say, love for your career is never eternal." Mia half-heartedly laughed. "I've always wanted to travel the country. Now would be my chance. Stars Hollow is too small for someone like me. Someone who has big dreams of traveling, that is."

"Oh. Well, uh, life is waiting?" Lorelai tossed out flippantly. "What do you want me to say? I mean, what are you doi –…what?" Lorelai softened her voice. "I'm so confused. What about the inn? Who's going to run it?"

Mia leaned an elbow on the desk and pointed her pencil directly at Lorelai. She smiled suggestively. "You are."

Lorelai's eyes widened in surprise and her mouth opened and closed; gaping like a goldfish.

"That is, if you want to." Mia nonchalantly leaned back into the chair.

"That. I mean, this is…I'd love to." Even though it was broad daylight, Lorelai's face was incandescent.

"Are you sure? I don't want to baby you. You're not sixteen anymore, Lorelai, but this is a big responsibility. I chose you because you've been assistant manager for several years now and I think you can handle this. But if you can't…"

"I can. Really, I can." Lorelai's pleading eyes met Mia's anxious ones. "I want this. I'll run the inn for you while you're gone. I can do this."

Mia crossed her arms and proudly proclaimed, "Well, I'd say that you've grown up quite a bit these past few years, Lorelai Gilmore." She paused, waiting for a non-existent reaction. "Anyway. So it's settled. First, we'll have to…"

Mia noticed that Lorelai wasn't listening to a word she was saying. Laughing to herself, Mia gently placed a contract and a pen in front of Lorelai. "Just sign here."

Lorelai picked up the pen and looked to Mia for a sign of reassurance. When Mia nodded, Lorelai began to move the pen in the familiar way that formed her signature. When finished, she dropped the pen onto the desk and beamed with satisfaction.

They spent approximately forty-five minutes in the office discussing the particulars of Lorelai's new responsibility as well as Mia's plans for Santa Barbara. As they were exiting the office, Mia nearly collided with a well-dressed businessman.

"Oh, Mr. Gerard, I am so sorry." Mia placed her hand on his arm apologetically.

In a thick French accent, the man replied, "My mistake, pardon me. Feel free to just call me Michel." He was warily eyeing Lorelai.

"Oh! It's terribly rude of me not to introduce the two of you. Lorelai, this is Michel Gerard. He'll be the assistant manager. Michel, this is Lorelai Gilmore. She'll be the new executive manager…actually, she already is." Michel made some kind of noise, but both women chose to pretend it was never heard. Michel and Lorelai shook hands and exchanged a forced smile.

Though, as most people know, first impressions aren't everything.

_As time passed, Michel and Lorelai formed a reluctant friendship, if not at least an understanding. Michel overcame his bitterness towards Lorelai's higher status and began to focus on fulfilling his own position instead. Lorelai's irritating impressions of his French accent mellowed and the waters began to calm. They shared a fair amount of verbal exchanges, but most were in jest and secretly they enjoyed having someone to yell at once in a while. _

Noticing the nearly tangible discomfort between the two, Mia quickly ended the introduction and whisked Lorelai away to the kitchen.

Lorelai had never been to the kitchen before and she was swept into a glorious whirlwind of sights and smells. The aroma of cinnamon muffins wafted through the room and clashed with the pungency of hard bleach. Rays of sunlight bounced from a stainless steel omelet pan to the smooth, silver refrigerator.

Standing over a cutting board and chopping furiously, was an animated woman with auburn hair. She turned the bell peppers from side to side, attempting to perfect the cut. Every so often, she would lift her head and yell out frantic corrections to those cooking near her. Mia walked over and gently tapped her shoulder.

The woman jumped. "Martin! How many times do I have to explain it to you! It's sugar, water, and…" She turned around and noticed Mia and Lorelai blinking at her. Dusting her hands on her apron apologetically, she retrogressed. "Oh, hello Mia."

"Greetings, Sookie. I have someone I'd like you to meet."

"Really? Who?" Sookie said excitedly.

Mia pulled Lorelai forward. "This is Lorelai Gilmore. She is the new executive manager." Turning to Lorelai, she said, "Lorelai, this is Sookie St. James, our resident executive chef."

"The word executive slips right off the tongue, doesn't it?" Lorelai grinned as she shook Sookie's hand.

"I'm sure you'll be a lovely manager, Lorelai." Sookie nodded.

Lorelai waved off the compliment with her hand. "I hope so. I have a lot to live up to." She winked at Mia.

"Nonsense. You'll be fine." Mia hit Lorelai on the shoulder with affection. "Anyway, Lorelai, this concludes our meeting. I've got some paperwork and bills to take care of and I'll let you get acquainted with your new position."

"Yes, he and I are going to be good pals after a while. I'll see you later Mia. Thanks for everything." Lorelai weighted the end of her sentence with sincerity.

"You're very welcome. I'm at the desk if you need me." Mia waved goodbye to Sookie and left through the giant kitchen door.

Lorelai did the same and was two inches from the threshold when she heard Sookie's chipper voice.

"Hey Lorelai?"

Turning slightly, she said, "Yeah?"

Sookie spoke hesitantly. "Whenever you want coffee or something, I'll be happy to get it for you. Or if you know, you need someone to talk to about whatever, I usually stay pretty late…"

Lorelai moved so that she faced Sookie and said graciously, "Thank you. I'll be sure and take advantage of that."

Relieved, the chef replied, "Good. I'll see you around then."

"So you will." Lorelai flashed another smile and returned to the lobby.

_Lorelai took Sookie up on her coffee offer and little cocoa beans became the positive catalyst in their lives. There were no two women as pleasantly scattered. Sookie would babble about her crush on Jackson Melville, 'the produce man', while Lorelai would express her animosity towards her parents. Several times, Lorelai ended up on Sookie's porch with a tear stained and crumpled tissue in hand. In turn, Lorelai was always prepared with open arms and a woolen blanket to cry on. Kindness and generosity have the power to change a person's life…but apparently, so does coffee. _

Later, Lorelai returned home to where Rory was anticipating her arrival. She hurriedly kicked off her heels and rubbed the soles of her feet before walking into the central area of the shed. _Pride and Prejudice_ was lying in Rory's lap, _The History of Connecticut_ clearly forgotten.

"Hey Mom."

"Hey babe, what's up?"

"Not much, I'm reading. Here's your mail." Rory leaned over a cushion, grabbed the pile of envelopes and colored advertisements, and handed it to Lorelai.

"Oh, thanks." Lorelai began skimming through the stack. She yanked out the unnecessary material and mindlessly threw it into the trash bin at her feet.

Her rapid flipping halted momentarily. Lorelai prayed as she hastily sliced open an envelope with her fingernail. Shakily, her fingers pulled out the paper inside and managed to unfold it. As she read the content, her free hand covered her mouth and her eyes grew watery. She sniffed and Rory looked up from her reading.

"Mom?"

Lorelai was speechless at the moment, therefore causing Rory to rise from the couch. She went and stood next to her mother.

"Mom?"

Lowering the paper from her face, a clearly emotional Lorelai said, "Rory, we're going to have a house. A real house."

Rory smiled and wrapped her arms around her mother's shoulders, knowing this was a milestone in the history of Gilmores. Still hugging her daughter, Lorelai placed the paper and envelope onto a nearby table. After a sentimental moment had passed, Lorelai backed away, resting her hands on Rory's forearms.

"We should celebrate."

"We should."

"We should go club-hopping. Maybe we could rent a limo and drive through Hartford with our heads sticking out of the top like they did in _Vegas Vacation_…minus the window closing on us."

"Or we could go to Luke's and get coffee."

"Are you saying that you don't want to release your wild side?"

Rory laughed. "No, I'm just suggesting something that would be possible in reality."

"Is there really a difference between fantasy and reality? Anyway, sounds good. Luke's it is."

As they dawdled across the lawn in front of the shed, Rory appeared thoughtful. She trailed her mother, but stopped anyway. Lorelai noticed that Rory wasn't following and backtracked to where her daughter was standing.

"Rory?"

The beginning of twilight had begun to paint the area surrounding the inn. The few lights that had been left on inside the shed glowed peacefully against the backdrop of subtle oranges and purples. A lone goose honked in the backdrop, echoing across the property.

Rory's eyes danced with excitement even though her voice remained calm. "We're going to have a house."

Lorelai linked her arm with Rory's. "Yes we are."

So, that was that. They were getting a new house…but not a new home. Often, people wish to differentiate between a 'house' and a 'home'.

The answer is quite simple. Home is where the heart is.


End file.
